Rolling mill



the roll housings.

Patented Sept. l, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,552,056 PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZ I\TEB'SENOIF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, 'ASSIGNOR TO MESTA MACHINE COMPANY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLING MILL.

Application filed July 18, 1924. SerialNo. 726,732.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, LORENZ IvERsEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement -in Rolling Mills, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates to rolling mills, and more particularly to the driving connections between the driving means and the rolls.

In rolling mill practice, it is necessary to quite frequently remove the rolls for knurling or the like. This is usually done by lifting th@J rolls vertically out of their housings, since the rolls are ordinarily too large to be moved axially through vthe windows of In order to permit the removal of the rolls in this manner, it is necessary to disconnect the spindles which form the driving connections between rolls and their driving pinions. These spindles are usually connected to the rolls and driving pinions by universal joints, and it has heretofore been proposed to modify the joint between the end of a spindle and its driving pinion to permit shifting .of the spindle axially in order to disconnect it from the roll. the roll to be disconnected without unbolting and removing the removable bearing elements of the universal joint. These elements drop to the floor when unbolted and con-v siderable difficulty and delay are experienced in replacing them in order ,to connect the spindle to the roll, since these elements are quite heavy. Furthermore, the modification of the universal joint between the end of the spindle and `its driving pinion involves f making the biurc'ated portions of the spindle longer than usual, in order to permit the telescopic action between the end of' the spindle andthe cooperating element of the pinion. The lengthening of the bifurcated portions rende-rs them liable to breakage.

By the present invention, I secure vthe advantages of .the axially movable spindleby forming the spindle in two parts havmg telescopic interlocking connectionA between the same, whereby the spindle can be disconnected from its roll by a relative axial movement between the parts in a direction tending to collapse the spindle. This obviates the necessity for shifting the entirespindle This is desirable because it enables' axially or for modifying the universal joint between the end of the spindle and the pinion, and enables the spindle to be di'sconnected from its roll more expeditiously. Furthermore, this construction renders it unnecessary to provide for movin spindle bearing back and forth in the direction of the axis of the spindle, although a sliding bearing with provision for moving the same can be provided, if desired. In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a spindle constructed in'accordance with my invention and of cooperating portions of a roll and driving pinion;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the spindle partly in section and disconnected from the roll, and

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the reference numeral 2 designates a driving pinion, and 3a roll adapted to be driven thereby. The pinion and the roll are connected by a spindle 4. The spindle comprises a body member 5 having a bearing portion 6 intermediate its ends for cooperation with a spindle bearing of any the l bifurcated at one end and carries the usual I bearing vmembers 7 for-cooperation with a coupling member 8 associated with the pinion 2, thus providing the usual universal joint betweenythe end of the spindle and the driving pinion. The other end'portion of the body memberis formed with a plurality of longitudinal ribs 9 and has a sleeve 10 slidably mounted thereon, and formed with. integral ribs 11 for interlocking engagement with the ribs 9. :This sleeve carries bearing members 12 for cooperation with'a coupling element 13 formed on the roll neck, thereby providing the usual universal joint between the sleeve and roll. The bearing members 12 carry a roller 14 journaled on a pin 15, this roller cooperating with the bifurcated coupling mem er 13, as in Iversen Patent No. 1,359,601, granted November 23, 1920. The bearing members 7 have a similarv roller associated therewith.

'It will be seen that in the position of the parts shown in Figure 1, there is a space between the end of the bearing portion 6 and the` end of the sleeve 10 suiicient to permit the sleeve to be slid on^ the body member l5 a sufficient distance to disconnect the spindle from the roll. When the spindle is connected with the roll, wooden blocks may be insei-ted in the exposed portions of the grooves between the ribs 9 in order to prevent the unintentional disconnection of the spindle from the'roll. lWhen it is desired to disconnect the spindle from the roll, these blocks may be removed and the Sleeve 10 moved axially of the body member 5 in a direction tending to collapse the spindle. This will disconnect the spindle from the roll, as illustrated by Figure 2. Furthermore', with this construction, it is possible to move the body member 5 relative to the sleeve l0 if it should be desired to disconnect the spindle from the pinion, or in case the sleeve is coupled to the pinion and the body member to thelroll.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a rolling mill, a driving member, a driven roll, and a spindle connecting said member and roll, there being a universal joint between one end of said spindle and` one of said parts. which it connects, said spindle being collapsible to uncouple it from said part at said joint, substantially as described.

2. In a rolling mill, afdriving member,

a driven roll, and a spindle connecting said -en roll having a universal coupling ele-` ment, and a spindle connectlng sald mem? ber and roll, said spindle comprising a body member having a bearing portion intermediate its endsand formed with a universal coupling element at one end, and a sleeve having sliding interlocking engagement with the other end of said body member and formed with a universal coupling element adapted to be disconnected by sliding said sleeve on said body member in a direction to collapse said spindle, substantially as described,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LORENZ IVERSEN. 

